The present invention relates to the field of packaging, more specifically that formed by a flexible material, for example packaging made from plastic, of generally parallelepipedal form and capable of containing folded products, such as handkerchiefs, towels or wipes, or any type of cellulose-fibre-based absorbent paper product.
The products contained inside such packagings are folded, optionally interlinked, stacked and compressed inside the packaging. They thus form a stack from which a product may be removed when the packaging is partially open. The user then pulls on the product or on a part of the product projecting from the stack.
Packagings of this type are known, such as that described, for example, in patent EP 0 628 005 B1, which relates to a packaging for disposable nappies, which is provided with a bellows and with a handle on one of its faces, and with an associated breakable zone that forms the exit for the disposable nappies. A plurality of forms and arrangements of openings are envisaged in said document.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,535 relates to a packaging of the same type, with handle and associated opening.
The first problem associated with this type of packaging concerns the pressure exerted by the stack of products on the two opposite faces of the packaging. The products, initially compressed inside the packaging, actually exert, on the walls of the packaging, a force perpendicular to the principal fold surface.
If the opening (or the openings) in the packaging is (are) arranged parallel to said surface, it thus experiences a force induced by said compression.
The dispensing opening should not be too large as compared with the total surface area of the relevant face, with a view to preventing untimely exit of products through said opening. It cannot be too small either, since it must be possible for the products to be removed from the packaging without excessive friction, which could crumple them and/or tear them, for example.